FALLING IN LOVE is the easy part. Caught up in the Valentine's spirit, many couples neglect to address financial issues. The results can be disastrous, as different spending styles, incomes, careers and life expectations can collide to form a potent cocktail.
Financial advisers and counsellors agree that communication is the key to financial harmony in the home. Being able to talk openly about money is important, no matter what stage your relationship is at.
Peter Kende, director at financial services firm Mondial (Hong Kong), says: 'The more openness there is between couples the better it is for their long-term planning.'
Cash is a topic that has to be faced as early on as the first date. Who pays for that dinner in an expensive restaurant? Do you split every bill meticulously or treat each other in turn? The way couples start out addressing money issues often forms the template for their future spending.
Couples who are setting up home together will get their first taste of co-ordinating finances. In some cases, it makes sense that responsibility for paying the monthly bills falls to the more organised partner. The other partner may take the lead in a different area. For others, taking turns ensures an equal balance of power.
'All agreements about the most mundane things need to be worked out verbally and proactively between the two,' says David Bailey, director at St John's Counselling Services.